Loom reed threading device



July 13, 1943 v. LoBL ET A1.

LOOM REED THREDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 13, 1943. v. I OBL. ET Al. 2,324,220

Loom REED TEEEADING DEVICE Filed Aug. 7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 www Patented July 13, 1943 LOOM REED THREADING DEVICE Victor Lobl and Eugene L. McCormack, Spindale, N. C.

Application August 7, 1941, Serial No. 405,852

(Cl. ,Z8-44) 1 Claim.

This invention has for its object the provision of a novel device for accurately and quickly drawing the warp threads through the reed of a loom, eliminating chances of error in placing the Wrong number of Warp threads in the dent spaces of the loom reed and speeding up the ordinary process of reeding a loom warp so as to reduce the cost of this process and to eliminate to a great degree the nerve, eye and mental fatigue of an operator, such as is ordinarily caused by prior methods of Warp reeding as commonly performed at the present time in the textile weaving industry.

Warp threads are now commonly drawn through the dent spaces of a loom reed by means of a plain reed hook, the operator taking such an instrument in the right hand and inserting it through the spaces where one or more threads are to be drawn, depending on the desired density of the pattern, and causing the hook end of said hook to be engaged by the warp threads, and then withdrawing the hook so as to draw the threads through said space. The iiner the wire or the closer the wires in the reed, the more difficulty is experienced by the operator in placing the hook back into the correct space for the next threads to be drawn in the following dent. This selection of proper dent or dent space, while using this old fashioned reed hook, requires a great amount of patience, practice, skill and good eyesight by the operator. In fact, a great expense is commonly incurred by all textile plants using this method of warp reeding, due to mistakes being made by operators for this phase of textile work. It requires from one to four hours to reed ordinary Warps preparatory to weaving, depending of course on the neness of the reed and the number of threads in the Warp. Should the operator place the reed hook back into a space already having the proper number of threads in the same, the warp density of the cloth at this point will be doubled and what is commonly called a crowded den would occur. On the other hand, should the operator skip a dent, such dent would be empty of yarn or thread and what is commonly called a skip dent would occur. Neither of these defects are accepted in the standard quality for grading textile cloth, and are classified as seconds or rejects Therefore, all of this work would have to be done over by the operator to correct the mistakes, 'and this is a very costly occurrence, due to the fact that an error of this type cannot be detected until the warp and rigging is placed into the loom proper, skilled mechanics make loom adjustments, and

the loom is started in the weaving operation. However, not only the time of the drawing-in hand or operator is wasted, but the time of workers connected with the entire process is also wasted.

The majority of mistakes made by drawing-in operators in reeding a warp is made by either crowding or skipping a dent in the loom reed. Of course, it is possible for a hand or operator to miscount the number of threads to be placed within a given dent, and a Warp pattern may require a wide variation of warp threads to be placed within each dent on the same warp, and a mistake may be made by the operator due to carelessness. We do not claim to eliminate this trouble, as our device is not a counting machine and this responsibility will still remain with the operator even by using our improved device. However, our device will absolutely eliminate the possibility of a so-called crowded or skipped dent. We further note that the number of errors made by the operator incounting ends to go in specic dents will be very greatly reduced, due to the fact that she is not required to look at the reed or dents while using our device, the latter automatically selecting the next reed wire, selecting only one reed wire, and preventing placement of the same back into the same dent twice, so as to enable the operator to devote all of her attention to counting off the number cf threads to be drawn in the following dent. We have made and tested this device in regard to the prevention of the described difficulties under all working conditions, and have found that its performance is all that we claim.

The present invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a loom reed threading device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an edge elevational view thereof looking toward the right of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view, similar to Figure l, looking at the opposite side of the device.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational View showing the outer .end portion of the main blade of the reed hook proper.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on line 6-6 of Figure l.

Figure 7 is a somewhat diagrammatic view partly in section and partly in side elevational, illustrating the manner of using the present device in threading a loom reed, and

Figures 8 to 12 inclusive are fragmentary views showing a part of the lo-om reed in transverse section 'and a part of the present threading device in longitudinal section, said views illustrating successive positions of the threading device in the act of threading the loom reed.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the present loom reed threading device includes a reed hook proper consisting of an elongated main blade 5 having a handle 6 on the inner end thereof and provided along one edge near its outer end with the usual thread-engaging or drawingin hook 1, the portion of the blade 5 immediately inwardly of the hook 'I being laterally offset as at 8 so that engagement of said hook 'I with the warp threads is facilitated. The outer end. of the blade 5 is somewhat pointed as at 9 and is beveled as at I on that side which constitutes the right side of the instrument as viewed in use. Also, a short distance outwardly of the hook l, the blade is provided with a circular opening I I. In addition, diamond shaped members I2 are applied and suitably secured to opposite sides of the blade 5 near the outer end thereof as at I2 and I 2a, said diamond shaped members being elongated longitudinally of the blade 5 and having the inner and outer ends thereof turned inwardly and beveled as at I3 and I3a. The blade 5 has a pair of spaced openings as at I4 into which the inturned ends of the diamond members I2 and I2a extend.

The present threading device also includes a feeding device removably applied to the outer end of the main blade 5 and comprising two elongated resilient blades I5 and I6 rigidly connected at their outer ends where they are beveled to provide a sharpened tip Il. The blades I5 and I6 are provided intermediate their ends with diamond shaped openings I8 and I8a adapted to snugly receive the diamond shaped members I2 and I 2a, the blades I 5 and I 6 being normally tensioned to spring together into engagement with the latter. The blade I 6 is longer than the blade I5 and is provided with a pointed inner end portion I9 which is turned inwardly and provided with a rounded terminal engaged in the opening II of the main blade 5. The engagement of the diamond shaped members in the diamond shaped openings and the engagement of the terminal 20 in the opening I I provides for releasably maintaining the feeding device assembled to the main bla-de 5 of the drawing-in hook proper, with the blades I5 and I6 of said feeding device enclosing the tip end portion of the main blade 5 and projecting outwardly beyond the same. The inner end of the blade I5 is outwardly beveled and somewhat pointed as at 2| to provide an entering space between the main blade 5 and the inner end of said blade I5, which space is just sufficient to admit the entrance of one reed wire of the loom reed between said blade I 5 and main blade E. The blade I5 of the feeding device is provided with a pair of spaced narrow elongated inward corrugations 22 that extend longitudinally of the blade I5 and are located outwardly of the diamond shaped receiving opening I8 in position to have the tip 9 of the main blade 5 terminate at a point directly between the inner ends of said corrugations 22. These corrugations or indentations form a predetermined space between the blades I5 and I6 adapted to t only Y one reed wire and to form an enclosed space for the main knife blade tip to rest between. This makes a clear channel for the reed wire to pass from the device without being re-engaged by the tip of the main blade 5. The sharpened inner end 2I of the blade I5 is of semicircular shape so that it will contact or select a reed wire from any angle to the vertical that it is necessary for the operator to use the device. Also, the terminal 20 of blade I6 is rounded t0 prevent scratching or bending the reed wires as they pass out of the device at this point.

The operation of the device will now be described. The device is held in the right hand of the operator, and the loom reed R (Fig. 7) is suitably fastened to the loom harness containing the heddles H. It will be understood that the warp threads T have already been inserted in the heddle eyes E, protruding about four to six inches beyond the latter. The reed R is supported in horizontal position by being fastened at both ends of the reed and the harness with a strong cotton cord, the reed being almost parallel to the floor except that the back band next to the harness is slightly lower than the front or outside reed band. All of the rigging, including the reed, the heddles, the harness, the loom drop wires and the warp is supported and fastened to a wood or metal rack commonly used for this purpose. The operator sits in a chair, the height of the chair being regulated to place her arms and hands level with the loom reed and in a comfortable manner. All warps are reeded from right to left in the majority o-f American textile plants, and of course the operators chair is placed on the right hand or starting side of the warp and rigging. The warp threads protruding from the harness have already been tied in small bunches consisting of about one hundred ends, these first ends being untied, brushed to straighten and untangle them, and held rmly in the left hand of the operator over the top of the loom reed. As shown in Figure '7, the tip i1 of the device is inserted in the iirst dent or reed space by placing the device underneath the reed and pushing upward and toward the harness heddles. The device is inserted far enough to make contact with any and all heddles on any harness precisely in the middle of the heddle or at the heddle eye containing the warp thread. Assuming that every reed dent will carry three warp threads, the tip I'I is placed on the left side of the iirst heddle eye, and the heddle and warp thread are kicked off or moved over to the right on the heddle bar from one to two inches. The second heddle and thread are moved, and nally the third heddle and thread are moved. The three ends are pushed up closely together to form a strand of yarn consisting of three ends, the operator having carefully counted these ends to be sure that there is not more or less than three ends or threads. However, these ends of the three threads are still held rmly with the uncounted ends by the left hand of the operator, and by moving the heddles over and creating a space between the counted and uncounted threads, there is no chance of contacting more than the correct amount of ends with the hook T. Due to the fact that the entire device is more or less parallel to this strand of thread, it is necessary that the main blade 5 of the device have the offset 8 directly behind the draw hook 1 to make it possible for the latter to be placed over the top and make contact with said strand of yarn consisting of three ends. The entire device is then pulled downward through the reed toward the body of the operator, the hook 1 carrying the three ends to the proper dent. This movement is continued until the reed wire selector blade l5 approaches the next adjacent reed wire or that immediately following the dent already occupied by the main blade. This next reed wire enters the space s due to the outward beveling on the inner side of the tip 2| of blade I5, and as the downward movement of the device is continued, the newly selected reed wire passes between the elongated connecting or supporting diamond I8 and said blade I5, the latter springing outwardly for permitting passage of the reed wire as shown in Figure 9, and then springing back into place after the new reed wire has passed this point, as shown in Figure 10. The newly selected reed wire then passes the space provided at the indentations 22, which is such as to admit the thickness of only one reed wire and guard against more than one reed wire passing through the device at a time so as to eliminate all chances of skipped dents. Should the blade I5 be sprung outwardly enough to admit two reed wires, there would not be sufficient space to accommodate these wires where the indentations 22 occur, and consequently the feeding device would fall off of the main reeding hook by also springing the blade I6 out of engagement with the supporting diamond IBa and tip 28 out of its receiving opening II. When the feeding device becomes separated from the main reed hook in this way, the blade of said main reed hook would be pulled entirely from the loom reed, thereby warning the operator that the error has occurred and that the device must be reassembled and put back into the proper dent of the loom reed. However, should everything work properly, the new reed wire will pass the indentations 22 without disconnecting the feeding device from the reed hook proper, and will then enter the space between the blades I5 and I6 above the indentations 22. It may be desirably mentioned at this point, that if the new dent did not enter the space s at the time of selection, there would be no dent in the space above the indentations 22, and there consequently would be nothing to stop downward motion of the device so that the latter would be pulled entirely from the loom reed by the operator and so that she would be warned that she has made the error and is about to make a so called crowded dent. In that case, the operator would correct her operation, making the blade I5 contact the proper reed wire, and causing the threads to be pulled through the correct dent. After the olO- erator has completed the downward motion or stroke of the device, the selected dent will engage the device at the point where the blades l5 and Iii are connected. The operator then reverses the motion or stroke, the device being moved upwardly so that selected reed wire passes to the right of the main blade 5, it being impossible for said reed wire to return through the entering path due to the fact that, the main blade is curved or beveled to the left as at IU. As the tip of main blade 5 is sharpened to a very thin edge, the reed wire has a clear passage to the diamond member 18a. As the ends of diamond member |80. are beveled, the selected reed wire will pass said diamond member, whereupon the blade IB will immediately spring inwardly into engagement with said diamond member Ia. 'I'he action which takes place at this point is clearly illustrated in Figures l1 and 12, and the reed wire will ultimately pass the inturned end I9 of the blade I6 due to the slant of the latter and the rounded form of the terminal 2U. It will be noted that when the device is properly operated, one of the blades I5 and I6 is always supported by a diamond member I8 or IBa so that the feeding device is kept connected to the reed hook proper. The end i9 of blade I6 is directed into the opening II so as to prevent passage of a reed upwardly between blade I6 and main blade 5 when the device is drawn downwardly to select a new reed wire by permitting said new reed wire to pass between the blade I5 and main blade 5. Also, the inturned end I9 with its terminal 20 engaging in hole or opening I I assists in connecting or supporting the feeding device with respect to the main blade 5 during the greater part of the cycle of operation. During the latter part of the upward motion of the device, the hook 'I has disengaged the three ends placed within the proper dent or space of the loom reed, and has passed back through the loom reed to be used in the next downward stroke of the device for engaging the next three ends. Such three ends, when being pulled by hook 'I downwardly, are released gradually by the drawing-in operator from her left hand by slightly reducing the pressure of her grip upon the large bunch of threads and allowing such three ends in question to be pulled apart from said bunch of threads so that hook I6 will cause the three threads to be folded as they pass through the dent of the loom reed. The three threads will straighten out again as the hook 'I slides along the length of such threads below the loom reed as the downward stroke of the reeding device is being completed. When the reed threading device is moved backwardly or upwardly through the reed toward the heddles again, the hook 1 releases the free ends and allows them to remain within the completed dent. After all the warp threads have been entered into the loom reed in the proper dents, the reed is then lifted or swung about one quarter of a circle or degrees by bringing the front band of the reed up and backwardly toward the heddles on the front harness until the wire surface of the reed is parallel to the heddles or in a vertical position with the top reed band directly over the bottom reed band. After the reed is moved to this new position, it is securely fastened with a stout cotton cord secured to the front loom harness, resting very lightly against the heddles on said harness frame. The slackness caused in the warp threads is taken up by the operator pulling all of the threads through the dents and tying these threads securely into small bunches of one hundred or more threads, which precaution is taken to prevent the threads from slipping from the reed dents and spoiling the pattern, that is now ready for the loom.

From the above description, it is believed that the construction and operation, as well as the advantages of the present invention, will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Minor changes in the details of construction illustrated and described, are contemplated, such as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What we claim as new is:

In combination, a reed hook proper comprising an elongated main blade provided at its inner end with a handle and inwardly of its outer end with a thread engaging drawing-in hook, `the Outer end of said blade being sharpened and beveled on one side, and a feeding device removably applied `to the outer end portion of said main blade and including a reed selector blade and a back blade normally Ytensioned to spring toward each other into interlocking engagement with the main blade of `the reed hook proper, the bevel of said tip of the main reed hook blade being toward said selector blade, and the inner end of said selector blade being beveled outwardly, whereby a reed will be selected upon downward movement of the device for passage upwardly between the selector blade and the main reed hook blade, and the selected reed will be caused to pass between the main reed hook blade and the back blade of the lfeeding device upon upward movement of the reed threading device, said means for connecting the feeding device with the main blade of the drawing-in hook comprising elongated diamond-shaped members applied to opposite sides of the main blade and having inturned beveled ends facilitating passage of a selected reed past the same, the selector and back blade of the feeding device having diamondshaped openings normally receiving the diamondshaped members, said back blade being extended inwardly beyond the selector blade and having an inturned end provided with a rounded terminal, the main blade having an opening for normally receiving said terminal to assist in maintaining the feeding device in assembled relation to the main blade.

VICTOR LOBL. EUGENE L. MCCORMACK. 

